ACTION Apartment Association

Santa Monica Rents Drop for Third Straight Month

08/03/2023 10:00 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica rents continued decreasing in July and have now dropped by -2.1 percent this year after a 7.3 rise during the same period last year, according to Apartment List's August report.

Property owners struggle as tenants are unable to pay owed rent

08/03/2023 9:58 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

LA area landlords report they’re not getting a flood of checks from renters, even though the deadline has now passed for back rent accumulated during the COVID emergency period to be paid.

The owners say it’s further evidence efforts to protect renters is not only costing them, but will worsen the housing crisis.

The Orwellian Worldview of Jesse Zwick (and Sue Himmelrich)

08/02/2023 12:01 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

by Arthur Jeon, Santa Monica

“Phil provoked him!”

Interesting choice of words, blaming the victim. So residents, who have seen our commons overtaken by violence, drugs, and disorder, enabled by the anti-enforcement policy wing of the city council, aren’t supposed utter a peep when there isn’t a cop or security guard around? And if they do, it’s characterized as a provocation? Wow… Okay. Then the logical answer would seem to be more police and more real security on the promenade, but not if you’re Jesse Zwick, who came by his luxury beliefs by way of an extremely privileged upbringing in the Palisades, (with armed private patrols everywhere):

Hotel Workers Union Submits Bed Tax Initiative

08/02/2023 8:35 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The initiative -- which comes two weeks after the union submitted a minimum wage measure for hotel workers -- would also impose a 15 percent tax on home-shares and vacation rentals, according to the initiative slated for the 2024 ballot.

The funds deposited into the housing fund "shall be used solely to promote, provide, and develop affordable housing and affordable housing measures and programs for hospitality workers," the initiative reads.

The measure would create a seven-member committee appointed by the City Council to recommend how the money would be spent and to set guidelines governing the fund.

Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office Obtains Judgment and Injunction Against Landlord

08/01/2023 8:29 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City v. Youseph Golshirazian et al., Case No. 21SMCV00201, alleges that the Defendants orchestrated a campaign to displace long-term, rent-controlled tenants from a 30-unit residential building. The allegations include a range of misconduct, such as fraud, intimidation, baseless evictions during the pandemic surge, violation of the COVID-19 Eviction Moratorium, failure to provide required disclosures in buyout offers, and illicit rental of units as vacation rentals despite ongoing attempts to evict long-term tenants.

L.A. developer aims to tear down homes to build apartments

08/01/2023 8:23 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Jha is banking his business on moments like these. Jha has spent the last six years paging through state laws and city zoning codes. His homework leads him to snap up single-family homes where he decides the law will let him build much bigger, no matter what anyone else thinks.

Jha is taking advantage of an opportune moment when California politics are turning away from the slow-growth mantra that has dominated in established cities and suburbs over the last half century.

New Cap On Rent Hikes Takes Effect For Tenants In LA And Orange Counties

08/01/2023 8:13 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The statewide Tenant Protection Act covers renters living in most apartment buildings constructed more than 15 years ago.

The law links allowable annual rent hikes with inflation. Because inflation has been cooling in the L.A. area, the legal limit on rent hikes for covered tenants is declining slightly, from 10% to 8.8%.

Statewide expansion of rent control qualifies for 2024 ballot

07/31/2023 1:59 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The newly qualified measure, known as the Justice for Renters Act, would repeal Costa-Hawkins.

SMa.r.t. Column: Counseling The City Council

07/31/2023 1:51 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

This week, our SMa.r.t. column is authored by concerned resident Nikki Kolhoff. Nikki has been an active voice in the community for many years, focusing on both City and SMMUSD issues that impact us all. The current issue Nikki is addressing here is something all residents should be concerned about, namely the unwarranted sale/lease of our historic Civic Center Auditorium and the behind-the-doors manner in which the City Staff and Council have proceeded without public input and participation.

Planning Commission Appointments Expose Council Rift

07/31/2023 9:45 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Fresco headed a group of activists called Save the Civic, and in 2013 was appointed to the Civic Working Group tasked with advising the City Council on options for the future of the iconic auditorium.

Fresco was backed by four Councilmembers -- Phil Brock, Oscar de la Torre, Christine Parra and Lana Negrete -- during three previous rounds before she was appointed in the final round.

Fonda-Bonardi, a local architect and slow-growth advocate, was backed by the same four Councilmembers but failed to win the five votes needed.